Jerome Gambit: Slowly Taking Advantage

The following Jerome Gambit battle between two younger players shows the first player slowly taking advantage, then exchanging to a won endgame and utilizing the cooperation of his King and Rook to make his remaining pawns shine. Very entertaining.

Mehul, SU - Chia, Min Zacha

Eastern Asia-ch U12, 2022

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 

7.Qxe5 Qe7 8.Qf5+ 

More frequently seen is 8.Qf4+. 

8...Ke8 

Again, more frequently seen is the developing 8...Nf6 but it is possible that Chia was already planning to semi-castle his King on the Queenside. 

9.O-O d6 10.Qh5+ g6 11.Qf3 Be6 12.c3 Kd7 

13.d4 Bb6 14.d5 Bf7

A followup consistent with Black's King maneuver that would return some material and also leave a balanced game - as the text does - would have been 14...Bxd5 15.exd5 Rf8.

15.Bg5 

A tactical shot with an offer to exchange pieces and allow the White Queen to get closer to the Black King. 

It is difficult to appreciate Stockfish 15's suggestion 15.a4 a5 16.Na3 Nf6 17.Nc4 Bc5 18.Qh3+ Kd8 19.Bg5 h6 20.Qh4 hxg5 21.Qxh8+ Be8 22.Nxa5 Rxa5 23.b4 Nxe4 24.bxa5 Qf7 25.c4 Nxf2 26.Rae1 Nd3+ 27.Kh1 Nf2+ leading to either a repetition of the position and a draw, or to 28.Rxf2 Bxf2 29.Rxe8+ Qxe8 30.Qf6+ Qe7 31.Qxf2 and an equal position.

15...Qe5 

Black should have gone for the exhange, 15...Qxg5 16.Qxf7+ as after 16...Qe7 17.Qxe7+ Nxe7 he would have the typical piece-for-two-pawns material advantage.

16.Qxf7+ Ne7 17.Qxe7+ 

Ahead material, White simplifies the game, and simplifies his task of winning. Alas, he missed 17.Bf6 Rhf8 18. Qxf8 Rxf8 19. Bxe5 dxe5 which would have won an additional exchange along with the removal of Queens.

17...Qxe7 18.Bxe7 Kxe7 

White is a couple of pawns ahead. He is not in a hurry. First, he exchanges his Knight for the Bishop.

19.Nd2 Rae8 20.Kh1 Kd8 21.f3 Rhf8 22.Nc4 Kc8 23.Nxb6+ axb6 

24.Rac1 c6 25.Rfd1 c5 26.a3 Kc7 27.c4 g5 28.h3 h5 29.Rc3 h4 30.Rc2 Rf4 31.Re2 Re5 32.Rf1 Kb8 

Black would like the position to remain as closed as possible.

33.g3 hxg3 34.Kg2 Ka7 35.Kxg3 Ka6 36.Rg2 

36...Rexe4 

Black wins a pawn.

In the following play, White's remaining Rook pairs with his King, while Black's forces are split and his weaknesses easier to exploit.

37.fxe4 Rxf1 38.Kg4 Re1 39.Kf5 Rc1 40.Rxg5 Rxc4 41.Rg2 

White will find a way to promote a pawn.

41...Rc1 42.h4 Rf1+ 43.Kg6 Rf4 44.h5 Rxe4 45.h6 Rh4 46. Rg5 Rh1 47.Rh5 Rg1+ 48.Kf7 Rf1+ 49.Ke6 Rf8 50.Kxd6 Rh8 

With Black's Rook tied down to White's h-pawn, the defender is unprepared to deal with another enemy passer.

He decides to sacrifice his Rook for the chance to advance his own pawn, but there is not quite enough time.

51.h7 Kb5 52.Ke7 Ka4 53.d6 Kb3 54.Rh2 Rxh7+ 55.Rxh7 Kxb2 56.Rh3 c4 57.d7 c3 58.d8=Q c2 

59.Qd4+ Ka2 60.Qc3 Kb1 61.Rh1+ Ka2 62.Ra1 checkmate